POST-ELECTION ACTIVITIES BRIDGE WORKSHOP

Produced by Zefanias Matsimbe and Rindai Chipfunde Vava

 This was the third Post-election modular workshop in Tanzania conducted for the National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 23-27 May 2016 in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. The workshop was funded by UNDP under the Democratic Empowerment Project (DEP).

The objective of the course was to emphasize the importance of the post-election period to NEC electoral staff as the opportune moment to reflect on the 2015 General Elections, identify challenges and lessons to be applied in future planning towards sustainable electoral processes in Tanzania.

The workshop was conducted by four gender balanced (2 males and 2 females) BRIDGE facilitators, namely Zefanias Matsimbe from Mozambique as the Lead Facilitator, Rindai Chipfunde Vava of Zimbabwe as Co-Facilitator, Rafiki Kiravu of NEC staff, Semi Accredited and Elias Malima also NEC staff as well as a Semi-Accredited Facilitator. The facilitators exhibited a good combination of professional experience and diverse background and expertise. The two semi-accredited facilitators completed successfully their fieldwork; therefore, they were accredited as workshop facilitators.

In total, 13 participants attended the training, representing different departments within NEC. The facilitation team provided a conducive environment and established a good professional relationship with the participants .The positive spirit was maintained throughout the duration of the workshop. The facilitators ensured that the topics included various activities that were carefully selected from the Module. Participants were taken through an intensive programme including defining Sustainability, Sustainability pillars, Core Values, EMB Regulatory Frameworks, Financing of EMBS -Core, Diffuse and Integrity Costs etc.

The post-election review framework was the greatest takeaway as it offers NEC with an option to replicate which is as follows: Legal Framework, Operational Framework, Execution of Mandate, how to improve independence of EMBs-procedures of appointment, assess competency and adequacy of NEC staff.

The participants appreciated the course and below are some of the evaluation comments on the event: Facilitators were good and had in depth knowledge, well prepared and very good facilitators, informative and useful and most timely and appropriate module soon after 2015 General Elections.